WHO ARE YOU?

by Rev. Howard Rosen, Jr
(Dillwyn, VA)

Pleasant Grove Baptist

John 21:19-25

It is no mistake that John ends his gospel with the restoration of Peter, and the challenge that Christ gave Peter to Follow Him, and for Peter to keep focus on what God had for him to do and not fret over the others.

The reason for this is that Jesus wanted Peter to keep his eyes on Him, not only for that moment, but also for him to follow Him through life. Jesus is the same today. He says to all of us, Come to me. . . Learn of me . . . Follow me.

A saint of God should never look back. If we are where God would have us, if we are doing what He calls us to do, then our command is to do it well; and if we give our best to the ministry God has given us we will have the full reward at the end of life’s journey.

What better example of fulfilling this challenge is there than Peter, for we know that he finished the work God gave him with the humility of a martyr's death, but is even now experiencing the rewards of the glory of God in heaven.What better way to see what lessons Peter learned from Christ that day and how he applied them to his life than to look at his writings.

What I want you to see today is found in 1 Peter 2:1-10 and this is the purpose of our existence as a church of Jesus Christ. We find Peter in verse 9 describing our reason for being a church. “But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, and holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praise of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.”

Notice the statement you are a chosen generation, and let’s use this text to ask the question, Who Are You? Do You Have the Marks of a chosen generation?

1. V1. Is It You – Who has laid aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speaking?

2. V2. Is It You – Who desires the Word of God the way that new born babies desire milk? It’s a dangerous thing to lose your hunger for God’s Word.

3. V2. Is It You – Who are growing up into the fullness of salvation rather that just coasting in your spiritual life?

4. V3. Is It You – Who have tasted in that the Lord is good? Is it you that talks about His goodness? Is it you that shares Him with others?

5. V4. Is It You – Who shares the viewpoint of God that Jesus, although rejected of men, is chosen and precious? Is Christ precious to you? Is the price for our redemption precious to you? 1 Peter 1:18-19

6. V5. Is It You – Who are being built into a spiritual house –not a physical building, but a spiritual dwelling for God?

7. V6. Is It You – Who are connected to the chief corner stone, elect and precious? Is it you that is becoming a place where God dwells and that cannot be brought down and is a place of praise and worship?

8. V9. Is It You – Who are a part of this chosen generation? Having a new identity, one that is more beautiful that any generation that the earth has ever seen, because if any man be in Christ he is a new creature, old things have passed away and behold all things have become new. 2 Cor. 5:17.

Who are You? In Christ you are chosen, you are sanctified, you are foreordained, you are adopted, you are accepted, you are redeemed, you are forgiven, you are enriched, you are enlightened, for you are the light of the world!

9. V9. Is It You – Who are a royal priesthood? In the service of the king, every one of us is to be a representative of God, in prayer for each other, in the encouragement of the saints. We all have access to the throne of God.

10. V9. Is It You – Who are a holy nation? We are to be set apart for God’s service, as holy people of God walking in the light not in darkness. That we may shine for God’s glory and the beauty of Christ.

11. V10. Is It You – Who are a peculiar people? We are supposed to be different from the world, they will never understand us, but soon we will be with Him to praise Him forever.

12. V10. Is It You – Who God has shown His mercy? Is It You that He has forgiven of sin? If this is who you are then we should extend His mercy and grace not only to the lost and dying world, but to our brothers and sisters in Christ as well.

Conclusion: My friends the challenge and the call follow me, focus on me; is the call Peter answered that day as Jesus talked with him. It is one we all must answer. We see what Peter became and who he was. Now . . . Who Are You?